This invention relates generally to a game method and apparatus, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a game method and apparatus having a game board with a plurality of regions, zones, squares having foreground and background colors and having game pieces that change value at different locations.
An example of a game board using game pieces with various ranks that attack opponent game pieces with the outcome that the lower ranking game piece is captured and put out of play is disclosed in the game called Strategy, .COPYRGT. 1986 by Milton Bradley Co. under Berne & Universal Copyright Conventions. U.S. Pat. No. 695,583. Each army consists of 1 Marshal rank 1, 1 General rank 2, 2 Colonels rank 3, 3 Majors rank 4, 4 Captains rank 5, 4 Lieutenants rank 6, 4 Sergeants rank 7, 5 Miners rank 8, 8 Scouts rank 9, and 1 Spy rank S that are moveable pieces and 6 bombs and 1 flag that are unmoveable pieces. The lower rank number indicates a higher game piece rank. The object of game is to be the first to capture the enemy flag.
Another example is disclosed in Smith U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,201. The game board apparatus consists of a game board having a playing surface and a predetermined number of movable game pieces. Boundary markings coincident with selected grid lines are used for dividing the playing surface into a plurality of subset areas of the playing surface. One of the subset areas is a perimeter subset area, a second subset area is an intermediate subset area and a third subset area is a center subset area. A movement value to each of the subset areas is assigned such that each subset area has a different movement value. Movable game pieces are initially positioned on designated starter squares located in the perimeter subset area. A player may move selected game pieces a selected distances along the game board in one of the first direction, the second direction and a diagonal direction, the selected distance traveled being determined by the value of the subset area in which the game piece is located prior to being moved in order to attain one of a first winning goal and a second winning goal. The first winning goal is the capture of a majority of an opponent's game pieces by moving a game piece by coterminous moves to land on a square occupied by an opponent's game piece which results in capture of the opponent's game piece. The second winning goal is to be the first to position game pieces in one of an aligned first direction row, an aligned second direction row and an aligned diagonal row in the third subset area by coterminous moves of one's game pieces.
Although, in general, these games have been satisfactory, those type of games have not been found to be entirely suitable in game applications where a major requirement is for a game piece having multiple values, that changes value as the game piece changes location on the board, and a game piece that is to the same degree more powerful in one zone as it is less powerful in another zone. The desired benefit is to make all of a player's pieces useful and actively played in contrast to games similar to Strategy, in which the lower rankling pieces with no special ability having a rank of 5, 6, & 7 and comprising 16 of the 40 pieces are of not, much use unless the higher rankling pieces are lost.
Nor have those type of games been found to be entirely suitable in game applications where a major requirement is for a game piece having a face designed for a player to easily decode a piece's multiple values and to evaluate it by making a direct visual assessment of the piece instead of making an intermediate numerical calculation.
A new and improved game board layout is desired that creates interesting scenarios by spreading out the play of the game both laterally and longitudinally in contrast to other games in which the action often consists of the two sides grinding away at each other along the middle axis of the board.